One aspect relates to oxidizing or reducing minerals by utilizing one or more fluxing, oxidizing or reducing, and binding agents mixed with metal ore and heated with microwaves to produce a metallized product. More specifically, one aspect relates to the reduction of iron ore to metallic iron by using a fluxing agent, a reducing agent, and a binder to produce an unfired pellet or briquette, which is then heated with microwaves to produce a metallic nugget or pellet, with a slag byproduct.
Currently, a significant amount of the world's crude pig iron is produced by pelletizing iron ore and subsequently reducing the ore pellets in blast furnaces. Current practice requires that finely ground iron ores be mixed with fluxes and binders, then be formed into round pellets. The iron ore pellets are fired in large ovens (indurated) to prepare them for use as blast furnace feed. The fired ore pellets are shipped to large blast furnaces and subsequently reduced to pig iron. This is a very energy intensive process requiring large, expensive pellet plants and blast furnaces.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present embodiments.